John Moses Browning is undisputably the greatest gun inventor and designer ever to live. Militaries, law enforcement, and civilians around the world still use his designs, ideas, and guns. Among his many achievements was a pistol patented in 1911 and carried by troops in WWI, WWII, and every major conflict since. It’s still seeing use by special operators and is still winning world championships in competitors’ hands today.
Most 1911s remain fairly true to the original design. Of course, modern technologies and manufacturing techniques have allowed for improvements, but for the most part the design and function incredibly remain faithful to the original.
JMB’s original 1911 used single-stack magazines that held seven rounds of 45 ACP. Many manufacturers still make single-stack 1911s. Springfield Armory has one of the biggest lineups of 1911s both in 45 and 9mm. Today I’m excited to bring you a review based on Springfield’s latest iteration and perhaps the most exciting gun in their entire catalog.
The Springfield Armory Prodigy is a 1911 with a twist and couldn’t have a better name based on its lineage. It features a double stack magazine and ships with a 17 and 20-round 9mm magazine. Other than the changes required to make a double stack magazine fit, it’s still a 1911.
I honestly have not been this excited about a gun from a manufacturer in years and years. While this has certainly been done before, it’s never been done by a manufacturer with the reputation, size, or pedigree of Springfield Armory. And I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I’ve never seen a double stack 1911, sometimes called a 2011, with these features, fit, and finish for anywhere close to this price point. The fact that it takes STI pattern mags rather than Para style is a big deal itself.
There are certainly boutique manufacturers selling custom 2011’s but they’re near twice the price point of the Prodigy. You can also commission a custom gunsmith to build you one but the prices will start at $3000 and go up.
Currently, there are two Springfield Armory Prodigy 2011 Double Stack Pistols. One is a five-inch barrel and the other is a 4.25 inches. There are technically four SKU’s as you can get either with Springfields HEX red dot optic as an option. The version that doesn’t come with the dot is still optics ready and uses the Agency Optic System which are optics plates. Currently, all the models are 9mm.
The only difference between the two other than barrel and slide length is that the five-inch features a dust cover with a full Picatinny rail while the 4.25 only has one slot.
The barrels are stainless match grade bull barrels with an 11-degree target crown.
The barrel on both pistols locked up tight much like what you’d get from a custom pistol. The feed ramp on both pistols was nicely polished and the barrels feature a loaded round indicator slot.
Currently, Springfield is only offer the Prodigy with a bull barrel. However, the slide is cut to accept a bushing. If you wanted to replace the barrel with a threaded bushing barrel, it’s ready to do that.
Field stripping the Prodigy is fairly easy. Remove the slide release using the second half-moon-shaped notch and the slide comes right off.
Removing the barrel, recoil spring, and guide rod require the use of a supplied Allen wrench on the front of the two-piece guide rod.
The slide on the Prodigy is a Forged Carbon Steel that is Cerakoted. It features excellent serrations both front and back. The cuts, including the ball cut at the end of the muzzle, all look attractive and offer excellent purchase on the slide without being too aggressive. All of the Prodigy pistols are optics-ready using a plate system.
The front sight is dovetailed in and is a green fiber optic.
The rear sight is part of the optics-ready plate system and co-witnesses perfectly with the HEX red dot. The optic and sight setup is excellent and I can’t say enough good about the configuration. The HEX isn’t my favorite red dot, but it’s decent considering the price point.
The Frame
The frame on the prodigy is also made from Forged Carbon Steel. The slide-to-frame fit was excellent with the 4.25 being just a little tighter.
The frame features all the 1911 goodies like Ambi thumb safeties.
True to JMB’s design, the Prodigy does have a grip safety that prevents the gun from firing if it’s not fully depressed.
The grip itself is polymer which is common for 2011-style pistols. I personally prefer that, especially for a carry gun as steel gripped 2011s are extremely heavy. The texture on the grip is very nice, but if you wanted something more aggressive, stippling is certainly an option and is what I’ve done to my custom 2011’s. That being said, I like the grip texture.
There is currently no magwell on the Prodigy and I didn’t have time to see if other 2011 magwells fit. I’m sure that if they don’t it will just be a matter of days before someone is selling one.
The Prodigy grip is double undercut under the trigger for a higher grip which is something you’d typically see on a custom build rather than a production gun.
The magazine release is large enough for most hands and features serrations that match the rest of the gun. While the mag release is not currently Ambi, the magazines have cuts on them that make me wonder if that’s eventually coming.
Speaking of magazines, I have a bunch of STI, Stacatto, SV, and other 2011 magazines and they fit perfectly in the Prodigy. You can also get big stick (high cap) mags that will fit. That’s excellent news.
The Prodigy ships with a flush fit 17 round and an extended magazine that holds 20+1.
The trigger is curved, has some nice lightening cuts, and features serrations on the face.
While the trigger is a little more “hefty” than I personally prefer on a 2011, it’s certainly usable, short, and pretty crisp. The five inch averaged 5lbs 11.5oz. A good gunsmith could have it down to 2 1/2 lbs in a few minutes if it’s important to you. The 4.25 averaged 5lbs 9oz. They are very shootable as you can see in the videos below. They feel lighter than striker fired guns of the same weight because they are a much shorter pull.
The only weird thing I found during this review is that the ejector is shaped differently than any other 2011 I’ve ever seen. It’s not a big deal, just odd. Usually, the tip angles in the opposite direction (up). That being the case, the brass all ejected perfectly.
Shootabilty/Accuracy
The Prodigy’s both shoot very soft with the five inch being marginally easier to shoot. I’d certainly carry the 4.25 though and not feel like I was giving much up. I had no malfunctions of any kind, even when shooting my own reloads. It doesn’t get much better than perfect reliability.
I saw similar accuracy from both guns. I shoot pistols well but have an astigmatism in my eyes that causes red dots to bloom. They both would likely shoot better groups for someone that didn’t have an astigmatism.
Groups were shot from a rest at 20 yards.
Holster fitment will vary but most 2011 holsters should fit that were made for full length or nearly full length dust covers with Picatinny. My 3 gun holster for a six inch 2011 fit great but my five inch custom holster only fit the 4.25. Once again, these Prodigy’s are made by Springfield Armory and it will only be days before there are plenty of aftermarket accessories including holsters. They’re going to sell a lot of these.
If you buy the version with the HEX it ships with a plate that replaces the HEX should you want to run just irons. The rear sight on the plate is adjustable for windage.
MSRP on the both the five inch and 4.25 with the HEX red dot is $1699
MSRP on both the five inch and 4.25 with irons but optics ready is $1499
Extra magazines are $60.
Those prices are all MSRP so you should be able to pick them up for about 20% less than that.
If you want to conceal carry buy the 4.25. If you are going to play tactical games or compete get the 5 inch. Both will work without doing anything to them straight out of the box. The Prodigy will grow with you. It’s excellent in stock form. As you get more comfortable running a manual safety, a trigger job and some custom tuning of the mainspring and the recoil spring will get you pretty close to a custom 2011 at a much better price point. I have lots of friends that have wanted 2011’s for years but havne’t been able to justify the cost. I’m pointing all of them to the Prodidgy. It’s the best value in pistols I’ve seen in a long time.
I’m not paid by Springfield and to keep the two Prodigy’s I have I’ll have to pay for them. I’m impressed enough that I’m planning on purchasing them.
Click HERE to visit Springfield Armory and learn more.
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My 4.25″ Prodigy is the worst gun I’ve ever owned. Sent it back to SA so they could completely rebuild it. Came back and it’s still a jam-o-matic. My Stealth Arms Platypus is a completely different gun. SA dropped the ball on this one!!
Over the years, SA has made many great guns but this one isn’t among them. The one gun that impressed me the most after firing it one time was the XD-9 Mod 2. People joked about the original model having the words “GRIP ZONE” on the part you hold with your shooting hand as if anyone would mistakenly grab the front of the gun (except for ignorant gun-grabbing leftists). However, all jokes aside, it was a major improvement over the prior XD grips and not just in the grip area because the grip angle was about as perfect for me as a sub-$500 handgun could be.
The 2011 was the solution to two nonexistent problems in the venerable 1911: the caliber and the capacity. After 100 years of use and thousands of people who owed their lives to it never complained that the gun only fired .45ACP or had only 8+1 rounds available.
i really like the Prodigy pistol, I just am waiting until SA comes out with one in 45 ACP. Then I might consider spending that amount of money. Right now I am saving up for a new Echelon. To me that pistol just has a lot of pizazz, and the price point is a little more obtainable.
This Prodigy is the first & LAST Springfield gun I’ll ever buy, as it’s truly a disappointment! Springfield failed to put a reliable recoil spring in the gun that will function correctly after 100rds of shooting. The gun gets dirty & has failures to feed, due to the 9lb spring in the gun. Of course once you put a 12lb spring in the gun it works well. Why do I need to spend an extra $20 for a spring in a $1500 gun? I recommend getting something else!
Why buy this when you’re almost to the price point of a Staccato??? LOL.
Nice, but I’d like to see it in 38 super
or 45 acp , missing my para .
I’d like one. But like mentioned above, get rid of the light rail. This is a competition gun, not a drug house raid gun. Also, according to several other sites, this pistol has a 5 lb + trigger pull. That, isn’t good for any use of any 1911.
this pistol looks like a perfect home defense solution for me. Will be buying one because of this article. thanks!
The one thing missing in most semi-autos. An alternate barrel option that accommodates suppressor use. My hearing is fading fast enough.
1911 saved my life in Vietnam, hence my love for 1911’s, of any type. Glad to see it has a rail but without the thread barrel, Ill never buy it.
MFG need to strongly consider selling alternate threaded-barrels (if the pistol can accommodate and still function). I enjoy my many Taurus but never again buy wo rail AND if I cannot buy a threaded barrel option.
The Staccato can be ordered with a threaded barrel, suppressor ready.
Does the barrel have a fully supported chamber?
I like the 9mm 1911 double stack concept to avoid carrying extra mag.
This “1911” looks horrendous! Way Oversized. Overugly. Over priced. Author tries to build a market for this in his write up and fails miserably. This handgun will appeal to a very niche segment of the populous only. And NO, this WILL NOT fit a typical 1911 holster, not well at all- I design and fabricate them, I know the boxy profile and oversized grip frame will be esthetically wrong and will not match the profile molded into a typical 1911 holster. No honesty there. Why not show a pic of such a mismatch????
Steve C. …. Think you should re-read his comment regarding holster fit … He said,”Holster fitment WILL VARY but MOST 2011 holsters should fit that WERE MADE for full length or nearly full length dust covers with Picatinny” …. Not right to bash someone for you not reading as written … Just saying …
Looks like a very nice pistol to me! Reliability is very important to me. How about +P ammo?
But do the SA magazines work in your other 9mm double stack 2011s? At only $60 msrp it would be nice to know.
Yes, those are impressive specifications on the Prodigy but…… for most people its just too much gun. Most people who carry day in and day out want a fairly light gun, a safe gun, easy to holster and carry, reliable and accurate enough. They dont need the high accuracy of a target gun, they dont need the overwhelming firepower of an LEO sidearm and they dont need the ruggedness of a military pistol. Finally, they don’t need a gun that matches their mortgage payment. SA makes nice guns for the average person but the Prodigy will probably quickly find favor only in the niche market.
Yes, the Prodigy couldn’t have been named better based on it’s lineage, too bad Alchemy Custom Weaponry
has been building and selling the Prodigy since October of 2020! Springfield could at least come up with an
original name. Maybe Springfield was hoping people would confuse their gun with Alchemy, as they are
nowhere near the quality, or price point, of any ACW!
The double stack 1911 is the answer to a question no one asked. Far too big and heavy to carry. Mockery to the 1911.
You don’t need a 16 round magazine, you need more practice. If you’re going into combat with a pistol as a primary weapon, you lost before you left home. Big and bulky, requiring an outside the waist band holster, ugly and heavy to wield. Might as well have a desert eagle. They’re useless too. Our freedom was bought with a 7 round 1911, 8 round M1 Garand and the best fighting force in the history of mankind. They didn’t cry for a 16 round mag, they made it happen. As for the red dot reticle sight, Hi-Viz makes large dot fiber optic night sights that don’t look like a whale tail on a Honda Civic.
I count this one as a loss. Para Ordinance proved the double stack was a waste of effort(they’re also garbage). Why keep beating a dead horse.
What velocity with what weights?
Now if SA would just get rid of those stupid accessory rails I’d be interested.
It was smart on Springfield Armory’s part to put the rail on the initial version. If they didn’t, people would b*itch about “what so called modern pistol would ship without a light rail?” The target market will want to put pictures of it on Instagram with their Surefire M440UX 1200 lumen Eye-melter light/laser combo mounted to the rail, and will go absolutely nuts if they have to compromise in any way. Who cares if weighs 59oz loaded and only fits a reinforced competition holster mounted on a steel lined modified hockey belt? There’s room for all types at my range.
Truthfully this isn’t intended to be a CCW piece and shouldn’t be judged by that standard. It’s a competition gun that has been adopted by some HSLD teams as a belt pistol since it’s easy to shoot and offers surgical accuracy under stress. Weight and bulk is less of a issue with uniform carry and small units can put the time in on the cleaning and maintenance required by the tighter tolerances.
SA can always come out with a lightweight version minus the rail (and an aluminum or steel reinforced polymer subframe, maybe) later. And then eventually they will make a version with a full length grip and 3” barrel and discontinue all the other versions because SA secretly trusts customer comments over logic.
Personally I want an optics ready 4” slide on 5” frame integrally comped version AKA the STI Costa Comp or Staccato XC, but without the $5K price tag. A 26 round 9mm bullet hose that shoots like a .22 magnum and can hold under 2” at 50yds? Yes, please!